My son will be 5 months next week. Exclusively breastfed, he used to go down around 10pm, wake at 3am-ish for feeding, then wake at 7am for the day. That was fine with me and worked great! For the last 10-14 days, he has been waking every 2 hours! He will feed, then go back to sleep, then wake 2 hours later... I swaddle him to sleep, and it was working fine. Does he maybe feel the need for movement now? Should I start cereal? My oldest didnt start cereal until 6 months, but could my baby be hungry enough to need cereal at 5 months? Im just not sure what to do! I dont know why he went from being a great sleeper to waking like a newborn... Im tired and frustrated :/
Probably just a growth spurt.....which does increase feedings. It shouldn't last too much longer. However, you could try not swaddling, but I would not start cereal just yet, I do think waiting until 6 months is better.
He's hitting an age change.
6 months.
On the cusp of any age change, major milestone etc., kids and babies get sleep tweaks. AND they will get hungrier and need to feed more and more frequently.
Normal.
NO baby, sleeps the same forever.
Per each age juncture, it changes. And per spurts, developmental changes etc. , and teething.
At times like this, you need to follow his lead, and feed on-demand, no matter how frequently.
Solids is NOT the way to replace nursing.
For the 1st year of life, breastmilk or Formula, is a baby's PRIMARY source of nutrition. NOT solids and NOT other liquids.
Always, nurse BEFORE solids. Not after. Otherwise your baby will wean, from breast.
Focus on nursing. That is where they get all their nutrients from.
Nursing frequently, ALSO serves this purpose: so that, your milk supply will mirror HIS needs, and increase in volume and in constituency. Nutritionally. Thus, nursing on-demand, is important.
Nursing, has to keep up with the baby. So they get what they need.
Him waking every 2 hours. Well that is normal and happens. Some babies even 'cluster feed'' meaning, they even need to feed every single hour. This is so, your milk supply, keeps up with the baby and per their growing and developing.
Check for swollen gums (teething). My two boys had their first teeth at 5 and 6mos. The gums throb, wake them up, they nurse to sooth and go back to sleep... but not for long. Adding a new source of calories will only add aggravation to his digestion system at this point... and you risk even more waking from that... oh no!
Bet you he's teething...arg! I remember those frequent night wakings--thank goodness nursing brought them the comfort they needed. Good luck!
Talk to his Ped, if he is growing he may just be HUNGRY. My 3.5 month grandson was cleared for thin cereal a couple of weeks ago. I was shocked, normally it's around 6 months. But this L. guy is hungry, he doesn't get cereal daily, just the days when we can't fill him up. He had grown 4 inches and almost doubled his birth weight by his 3 month check-up. If your L. one is growing like this he may just need more food.
Also check to make sure he is not to warm or cold and I would get him a glow worm, babies love them.
You are lucky that he has been such a great sleeper so far. It could be just an adjustment he's going through. Babies grow so fast in the first year, it must cause them some discomfort. Maybe he's having a particularly drastic growth spurt, which would mean he's uncomfortable and hungry.
I remember my pediatrician telling me to start giving my babies a cereal feeding right before bed, that it would help keep them full during the night. I guess the cereal kind of "sticks to their ribs" a L. bit better than breast milk. It did seem to help.
You may also want to try a sleeping sack instead of swaddling him. It could be he's getting too hot or he's feeling too constricted. Give it a try and see if it helps. Good luck!
